Hunger strike to demand demolition of `hanging' tower

By Manas Dasgupta

AHMEDABAD, MARCH. 3. The shop owners in the Mansi complex and the residents of the adjoining areas are on a hunger strike to press their demand for demolition of the tower that is hanging precariously like the proverbial Damocles' Sword on their heads since the January 26 earthquake.

Half of the four-wing Mansi commercial-cum-residential tower in the posh Satellite locality in Ahmedabad collapsed in the quake, killing 57 people and flattening half-a-dozen shops and banks located in the building and a couple of bungalows behind it. Cracked from the middle of the staircase joining the two-halves, the other half of the 10-storeyed tower is since then hanging precariously over the remaining shops and bungalows even 40 days after the disaster.

For over a month, the shops in the complex did not open because of fear of the second half collapsing at any time. The building has already been vacated and the residents allowed to take away their essentials with the help of fire brigade ladders as a preparation for its controlled demolition. But surprisingly, nothing further has happened.

The step which the authorities themselves should have taken long back as a precautionary measure, has for some inexplicable reasons been stalled by the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA). Last week, the shop owners in the complex were told to resume their business as it would ``still take some more time'' before a decision was taken on its demolition.

Repeated queries by the shop owners and the local residents with the AUDA has failed to elicit any reply. ``There is no immediate threat to the building, you go ahead with your normal business, we will take a decision at the right time whether it needed to be demolished,'' the AUDA officials have reportedly told the residents. With an average of 10 to 15 after- shocks still hitting the city every day, those who have to live in the houses and work in the shops under the half-collapsed tower are not finding the situation amusing.

A strong politician-builder nexus is allegedly coming in the way of the officials taking action against erring builders or demolishing ``dangerous'' buildings.

A relative of the builder of Mansi is said to be an influential ruling BJP leader, while a member of the Keshubhai Patel cabinet is also believed to have business interest in the complex. It is allegedly at the instance of the Minister that the demolition of the precariously hanging tower was stalled at the last moment.

Arrest warrants had been issued under the Prevention of Anti- Social Activities Act (PASA), popularly known as the Anti-Goonda Act in the State, against some dozen builders but not one has yet been served.

The AUDA chairman, Mr Surendra Patel, who is also the treasurer of the state BJP, has gone on record to say that he did not believe that the builders could actually be prosecuted on the evidences available so far. He has also admitted having collected funds from the builders for the party even while claiming that the donations would not come in the way of prosecuting the errant builders if the evidences were conclusive against them. But like the files of some of collapsed buildings found missing from the AUDA office, at least two such files have also been reported ``missing'' from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation office.

Like the Mansi and Shivalik commercial complex, where the initial decision on demolition was stalled by political interference, many such buildings declared ``dangerous'' by experts who surveyed the quake-affected buildings under the auspices of the Centre for Environment Planning and Technology (CEPT) are still left unattended. Even the debris of the collapsed buildings are still kept in piles in different parts of the city as a grim reminder of the tragedy with the authorities doing precious little to clear them.

The police, meanwhile, have sent samples of building materials and other evidences collected from the collapsed sites for testing by the National Council of Cement and Building Materials to determine whether the materials used were sub- standard. The report is expected to be available by mid-April.

Bodies recovered

Even 38 days after the earthquake devastated Gujarat, bodies are still being retrieved from the debris of collapsed buildings.

An official spokesman said here today that 35 bodies were recovered from the debris in Kutch district on Friday, including 24 in the district headquarters Bhuj, eight in Anjar and three in Gandhidham. With this, the toll based on the actual body count went up to 19,939, including 18,350 in Kutch district alone.

* * *

Clinton does his bit for quake victims

JOSE (CALIFORNIA), MARCH. 3. The former United States President, Mr. Bill Clinton, and rap artist, MC Hammer, took the stage at a fund-raiser for the earthquake victims in Gujarat.

Mr. Clinton spoke on Friday night about the visit to India of his daughter, Chelsea, and wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, before the quake. Mc Hammer, known for his single, `U can't touch this,' performed several songs at the Jubilee Christian Centre.

Organisers hoped the event would raise $2 million.

- AP

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : National
Previous : Advani defends ceasefire policy
Next     : JMM ties up with Trinamool in Bengal